ARS | Publication request: PRECLINICAL DIAGNOSIS OF AFRICAN SWINE FEVER IN CONTACT EXPOSED SWINE BY A PORTABLE REAL-TIME PCR ASSAY

Submitted to: Conference Research Workers Disease Meeting
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: November 16, 2004
Publication Date: November 16, 2004
Citation: Zsak, L., Borca, M.V., Risatti, G.R., French, R.A., Lu, Z., Kutish, G.F., Neilan, J.G., Callahan, J.D., Nelson, W.M., Rock, D.L. 2004. Preclinical diagnosis of african swine fever in contact exposed swine by a portable real-time pcr assay [abstract]. Conference Research Workers Disease Meeting. p. 87.

Technical Abstract: Clinical signs of African swine fever (ASF) are inapparent at early stages of infection and at later stages they resemble those of some other swine diseases. A rapid, preclinical diagnosis at the site of the suspected disease outbreak would be extremely useful for controlling ASF. To address this need, a fluorogenic probe hydrolysis (TaqMan®) PCR assay for African swine fever virus (ASFV) was developed and evaluated in experimentally infected swine. This sensitive and specific one step-single tube assay, which can be performed in two hours or less, detected viral DNA in tonsil scraping samples 2 to 4 days prior to onset of clinical disease. Thus, the assay would have application for preclinical diagnosis of African swine fever and surveillance and/or emergency management of a disease outbreak.